By the time I finished microwaving and eating lunch it was almost 3pm but the weather was clearing up. So I decided I should actually go out and do something.
I went to the International Test Rose Garden or whatever it's called and also the Japanese Garden, which are all part of the same Washington Park complex. Maybe since it was Saturday afternoon parking was atrocious. I typically avoid parallel parking, but I couldn't in this case. Fortunately it wasn't too crowded between the cars so I could get in pretty easily, though I had to get out a couple times to see how much space I had behind me. Some old lady in a wheelchair complained to her daughter or whoever because I had parked near where the bus loads and boo hoo how is she going to get on the bus? I'm not the one who designed the parking lot and bus loading zones so stupidly. She must have got on the bus because she wasn't there later.
Anyway, here's the rose garden. I might have enjoyed it more if I could smell. Or maybe not, though roses are supposed to smell good, right?
Then I walked over to the Japanese Garden. Which the stupid guidebook didn't say (again!) that I'd have to walk a freaking quarter mile UPHILL. I guess that was good later as I could go downhill then.
Anyway, there's the Japanese Garden. Maybe if it weren't Saturday there would be less people so I could go meditate and go all Zen and stuff.
I decided I might as well go to Mt. Tabor Park, where I hoped to get some decent pics of the city. To get there I had to go through most of the city it seemed like, so I got a lot of random pics of Portland. I passed Powell's Books, which is one of the largest indie bookstores. Too bad I didn't bring some of my books to ask them to sell. Think they'd let me read some of my erotica books there?
There was a flea market or whatever I guess early in the day, but when I went by it was just a bunch of bums hanging out by the gates. The cops should really go roust all those people.
I had to do more walking UPHILL to get to the top of the mountain. Then it was really disappointing. It's mostly trees! There are a couple little glimpses of the city but the weather was too hazy to get decent pictures. So mostly it was a waste of time.
But hey, you can't say I didn't do nothing in Portland. Now I'll probably spend the next two days doing nothing except laundry.
BTW, I started this entry at about 7pm PST and it's 4:40am PST. That's how freaking slow this motel wifi is.
5 comments:
I love going to gardens and that one looks awesome.
The Garden does look great. Something more your speed might be to check out Dark Horse Comics headquarters in Portland. I heard it covers two city blocks. Might be fun to check out all the cool merchandise.
Sorry you couldn't smell them Pat, but those roses look beautiful nonetheless.
The zen garden looks great. I'd have loved going there.
That picture of the people on the bench in silhouette looks like a postcard.
As for the "Keep Portland Weird" sign, that slogan started in Austin, Texas, and led to some controversy about trademarking it. There's some talk about whether Portland actually IS weird or just tries to be.
But on the subject of things you should look at, apparently "Grimm" is set in Portland, so you should look for location shots of that.
I've never really understood the kind of over-the-top attraction to roses. I mean, sure, they're nice, but there are plenty of better flowers.
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